Parshios Tazria & Metzorah

Have A Good Look

"...he shall be brought to Aharon the Kohein, or to one of his sons the
Kohanim" (13:2)

The Torah discusses a person who is afflicted with the
spiritual malady known as "tzora'as". Although it is a spiritual affliction,
tzora'as manifests itself physically, in the form of a skin
disease.1 An individual suffering from this disease must be
brought before a Kohein to be diagnosed. The Seforno questions why the
Kohein is the only person empowered with the ability to proclaim the
affected individual either tamei - impure or tahor - pure.2

In all prior situations in Sefer Vayikra where a Kohein's services were
required, the Torah stated that the service shall be performed by either a
Kohein or the children of Aharon the Kohein.3 However, concerning
tzora'as, the Torah states that the metzora shall be brought to either
Aharon himself or one of his children.4 Why does the Torah
personalize Aharon's involvement in this procedure?

Very often the manner in which a person validates his own standing in life
and boosts his self-esteem is by focusing on the failures and shortcomings
of others. The Mishna describes Aharon's nature as an "ohev shalom verodeif
shalom" - one who loves and pursues harmony.5 Aharon had the
ability to create harmony in relationships where there had previously been
enmity.6 Only a person who is predisposed to focusing on the
positive traits of others can have this ability. Seeing the positive in
others is what allowed Aharon to present a person's former enemy as an
individual worthy of his friendship.

It is this quality of Aharon which makes the Kohein worthy of diagnosing
tzora'as. Only a person who searches for the positive in people is qualified
to evaluate their flaws. A person whose predisposition is to search out the
flaws of others, cannot render an objective judgement.

It is precisely for this reason that the Torah emphasizes Aharon personally.
Unlike other services that any Kohein can perform by dint of his ancestral
right, the ability to diagnose a metzora stems from his non-judgmental
nature, to which all Kohanim are predisposed due to Aharon's perfection of
this quality.

Outstanding

"and the Kohein shall place at the middle part of the ear of the man
being purified"(14:25)

This week's parsha records the purification process that the
metzora, an individual with a skin malady, undergoes to permit him to regain
entry into society. The tzora'as malady from which the metzora suffers is a
result of "loshon harah", the slanderous conversation in which the metzorah
has engaged; hence the name metzora from the term "motzi rah" - "one who
brings forth evil".1 After the metzora is separated for seven
days, the Kohein takes blood from the guilt-offering brought by the metzora
and dabs it on his right ear, thumb and big toe as part of the final
purification process.2 This process is found on only one other
occasion, the inauguration of the Kohein. Why does the Kohein, who is the
most noble and elevated member of Klal Yisroel, undergo the same process as
the individual who has just been ousted from society as a result of his
odious behavior?

The Talmud records that the primordial serpent walked upright and was the
original king of all beasts. After instigating Chava to sin, the serpent was
cursed by the loss of its limbs and the inability to savor its food. The
serpent, which is also the symbol of loshon horah, proclaimed that just as
he is unable to enjoy his food, there is no satisfaction in speaking loshon
harah, "mah yisron l'baal halashon"3 - "There is no benefit
gained from the speaking of loshon harah." The Talmud relates that while a
minority of people are susceptible to the desires of promiscuity, a majority
are tempted by theft. However, everyone is susceptible to the sin of loshon
harah. Generally, man is motivated by gratification, which explains the
temptation for promiscuity and theft. Why is every man susceptible to the
sin of loshon horah if there is no gratification in this transgression?

Every person has a deep yearning to sense self-worth. Secular society
promotes competition as the forum in which to gauge our worth; we sense our
self-worth vis-à-vis our contemporaries. Unfortunately this manner of
gauging ourselves is fraught with great dangers. We are never truly
encouraged to fully develop our own potential and individuality for success
is achieved by besting others, not by challenging ourselves to be all that
we can be. Furthermore, instead of applying ourselves and developing our
talents we sometimes choose the path of least resistance. We elevate
ourselves by stepping upon others. By putting others down we delude
ourselves into believing that we are better than them. However, instead of
feeling accomplished, we are left feeling empty and unproductive. The
greater a person's potential, the greater the void that is left when he is
unfulfilled. For this reason the greatest cynics and ba'alei loshon horah
who are capable of making the most insulting remarks are usually the most
talented individuals who take the easy way out and attempt to feel
accomplished by belittling others instead of making the effort to develop
themselves in a positive manner.

It is this desire to feel self-worth that fuels a person to speak loshon
harah. Every individual is affected because everyone has the need to feel
fulfilled. The Kohein is the individual who embodies self-accomplishment.
Having developed his potential, he stands out in society. The inaugural
process that he undergoes highlights the fact that he is an outstanding
individual. The message to the metzora is that he too can be an outstanding
individual and it need not be for his negativity. Rather, he should emulate
the Kohein and develop his potential so that he too will be elevated for his
positive accomplishments